Flanging machine



Jul 6 192 1,591,458

H M CABE FLANGING MACHINE Filed June 6, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 nnlllIIMII I l;-

u WW1 L July 6 1926. 1,591,458

H. M CABE FLANGING MACHINE Filed June 6 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 van WWW.

Patented July 6, 1926.

NITED nU'GH ivrcoann, on LAW ENCE, MA ssAcnusn'rTs.

FIJANGING Machine.

Application filed June 6, 1924. semi no. 718,356.

The present invention relates to hanging machines and more particularlyto flanging machines of thefty-pe described in the Mc- Cabe Patent No.1,408,106, granted February 28, 1922, in which is provided an automaticstraining device for imparting a transverse bend to the work tocounteract the tendency of the work to buckle during the flangingoperation. 7 v

The object of the present invention is to rc-organize and improve theconstruction of the straining device with the 'viewof obtaining more'efiicient and "economical operation, and with this 'end in view thepresent in vention consists of the hanging machine hereinafter describedand particularly defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of thepreferred form of Hanging machine; 2 is a fronteleva'tion of the clampmembers and straining devices; Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of one ofthe straining devices, and Fig. 1 is a section on line of Fig. 3; Fig. 5is a sectional elevation of the valve for controlling the adi'nission ofair to the straining devices; Fig. 6 is a section on line 66 of Fig. 5;Fig. 7 is a section of the upper part of the valve on line T-7 of Fig.5; Fig. 8 is a section of the bottom portion of the valve on line 8-8'of Fig. '6; and Figs. 9 and 10 are views similar to Figs. 7 and 8 withthe valve in a different position.

7 The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a flangingmachinehavinga bottom clam-p member 6, top clamp member 8, a bender 10and a bender actuating segmental gear 12, all of which are of the formillustrated in the patent above referred to. The gear 12 is operated bya rack (not shown) which is reciprocated by a compressed air cylinder 19which receives its air supply through a pipe '20. The bottom clampmember 6 is providedwith a wedge 22 which is operated to clamp andunclamp the work through the linkages 24 by means of a cylinder 26 whichreceives its compressed air supply through a connection '28 into thepipe 20. The plate to be clamped between the clamp members 6 and 8 andthe bender 10 is actuated to bend successiv increments of the workthrough a predetermined, angle, the ork being ed after each bendingoperation by lo'o ning the bottom clamp member as above described, Therelat n of the operating rack to the gear 12 is then changed to bend theflange in successive increments through additional angles, the movementsof the rack being controlled by a mechanism 30, which is described inthe lWIcCabe Patent 1,460,167, granted June 26, 1928. j

The top clainp member 8 has a flat work engaging surface opposite thebottom clamp member and is extended laterally to provide brackets inwhich the straining devices 3i are received. Each straining device asshown in Fig. 3 comprises a pneumatic straining cylinder having acylinder head 36 and a base 38 to which the head is secured in the usualmanner. The base 38 is provided with a depending sleeve 40 receivedwithin an adjusting sleeve 42 which in turn is -threaderi into thebracket 32. The adjusting sleeve 42 has a right hand thread on its outersurface and a left hand thread on its inner surface so that uponrotation of the sleeve the straining device may be vertically adjustedWithout turning it on its axis. The adjusting sleeve has a flange 4-1provided withspanner receiving openings to permit such adjustment. Aplunger 46 is fitted to reciprocate within the sleeve 40 and isconnected "at its lower end with a swivel bearing plate 17 which bearsupon and serves to strain the work (as. shown in Fig. 2 and particularlydescribed in. the earlier McCabe "patent above mentioned). A piston 18is secured at the upper end of the plunger between a shoulder '50 of theplunger and a nut 52 threaded thereon. I The piston is normally urgedupward by means of coil springs 54 received in suitable holes formed inthe base portion 38 of the cylinder and bearing against the under sideof the piston. The plunger 4'6 is necked down at 56 'to form a shoulderwhich is adapted to be engaged by two locking bolts 58 received inhorizontal openings in the base portion 38. The locking bolts areprovided with notched ends 60; to afford engagementbetween the bolts andthe plunger, and each bolt is urged away from the plunger 'by acompression spring 62 which takes against ahead 64, of the bolt; Eachbolt head is slabbed ca as indicated at 66, to providea fiat'upper"surf, e which takes againstthe under. side of .base 38 to preventturning of the bolts in their openings, thus insuringgproper engagementof the notched portions with the eheu d 0. 1 j P unger. Same t t bottomat the base are two memes-lock ing bolt actuating cylinders 70 withinwhich reciprocate pistons 72 hearing against the heads of the lockingbolts and adapted to force the latter toward the plunger against thecompression of the springs 62 when the cylinders 70 are supplied withcompressed The connections for leading air to the cylinders aredescribed as follows: On top of each straining device there is providedan air chest having a port 82 leading into the cylinder 36, and an airchamber 84 connected with the bolt actuating cylinders 70by tubes 86 and88, which pass through suitable openings in an annular protecting flange89 formed on the cylinder head 36. The ports 82 and the chambers 84 ofboth straining devices are connected together by pipes and 87respectively. Air is supplied to these pipes from the air connection 28through a manually operated valve 90 and pressure hose pipes 92 and 94,the former pipe leading to the pipe 85 for the straining cylinders andthe latter to the pipe 87 for the bolt actuating cylinders. The valve 90as illustrated in Figs. 5 to 10 comprises a rotatable valve member 91having a wrench receiving head 93, and a valve casing 96 provided withan air inlet 98, an outlet 100 connected to the hose 92, an outlet 102connected with the hose 94, and a relief port 104 opening to theatmosphere. In the position illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, the air supplyis disconnected both from the straining cylinders and the locking boltoperating cylinders, the former having eX- hausted through the opening106 in the valve member and the exhaust 104. On turning the handle in acounter-clockwise direction through an angle of 45, the openings 108,110 are caused to register with the inlet 98 and the outlet 100respectively, thus operating the straining plungers; and upon turningthe handle through an additional 45 the valve assumes the position shownin Figs. 9 and 10, air being admitted to the straining cylinders throughthe openings 112, 114 and to the locking bolt operating cylindersthrough the opening 116 in the bottom portion of the valve. Thestraining plungers are thus locked in their depressed position to strainthe work, the locking bolts being urged under the air pressure to holdthe plungers and the swivel bearing plates 47 down on the work. Afterthe completion of a bending step, the handle is turned in a clockwisedirection through an angle to 45 to relieve. the pressure on the boltactuating cylinders through the relief port 118 which registers with theoutlet 102-andopensinto the atmosphere through the bottom of-the valve.and the pressure on the straining cylinders is thereafter relieved byturning .the handle to its Fig. 8 position.

In operation the work is clamped by the clamp members 6 and 8, thestraining device having been previously adjusted to give a predeterminedstrain to the work. The valve 90 is then operated as above described toforce down the straining plunger-s and lock them in position. A portionof the flange is then bent by the bender 10 and the bender is thereafterrotated to its initial position, whereupon the valve 90 is operated torelease the straining devices and allow the plungers to rise under theaction of the springs 54. The bottom clamp member is then loosened bywithdrawing the wedge 22 and the plate is moved to present a newincrement to be flanged in the same manner, and so on until a flange iscompletely formed around the work. As is customary in machines of thistype, it is desirable to form the. flange in a succession of bendingoperations; for example, in forming 90 flanges on a circular plate, thewhole plate is first formed with a flange approximating 30, then asecond flanging operation is performed to bring the flange down toapproximately 60, and finally the flange is turned down in a third stepto 90. For flanging the successive increments in any flanging operationthe adjustment of the straining devices will be kept constant with theassurance that the straining will proceed to the same amount for eachincrement, but it will be required to vary the amount of straining forthe different flanging operations, an adjustment which is convenientlyperformed between the successive flanging operations by means of theadjusting sleeve 42.

In the foregoing description of the mode of operation of the machine,the work is clamped between the clamp members 6 and 8, and after thatthe straining device is operated to strain the metal preparatory tobending. If desired the straining device may be operated first, and theclamping of the metal thereafter, the operation of clamping the metalserving to complete its straining. preparatory to the flangingoperation. This latter mode of operation wherein the straining device isoaerated first and the clamping afterward is to be preferred in caseheavy metal is being flanged, because the clamping wedge is powerful,due to the leverage and toggle of the connections.

Similarly the clamp may be released be fore the straining device isreleased. In the case of heavy metal, this is to be preferred because itrelieves the bolts 58 of the pressure against them before they arewithdrawn.

If desired, both the clamping and the straining devices may be operatedat the same time, both in applying and releasing the pressure.

Under some conditions only the lower clamp need be released bywithdrawal of the wedge from thereunder; under other conditions only thestraining device need be released between successive bending operations.

In some respects the present invention is an improvement on the flangingmachine illustrated in the McCabe Patent No. LQSSQ'M, dated June 24,1924, which shows straining devices provided with a manually operatedlock. According to the present invention the straining control valve maybe remote from the straining devices and is conveniently placed near thevalves which control the clamping members and the bender segment so thatall of the valves may be operated by the Workman from one position.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. A. flangingmachine having, in combination, means for holding the work, means forfianging the Work, a straining device for the work comprising a.pneumatic piston adapted to be moved by pneumatic pressure in adirection to strain the work, springs for moving itin the oppositedirection, locking means for locking the straining device in workstraining position, and springs for withdrawing the locking means fromengagement with the straining device.

2. A flanging machine having, in combina-- tion, top and bottom clampmembers, means for fianging the Work, a straining device carried by oneof the clamp members, pneumatic means for operating the strainingdevice, locking means for the straining device, pneumatic means foroperating the locking means, and a valve for controlling both thestraining device and the locking means.

3. A flanging machine having, in combination, means for flanging thework, a. straining device comprising a power cylinder and a pistontherein, a plunger and a work engaging member connected with the piston,a locking bolt, a locking bolt actuating cylinder, means for supplyingair to the power cylinder and to the locking bolt actuating cylinder,and a valve for controlling the air supply for both cylinders.

4. A flanging machine having, in combination, means for flanging thework, a straining device comprising a straining cylinder, a piston inthe cylinder, a plunger connected with the piston, locking bolts for theplunger, locking bolt operating cylinders, an air chest on the strainingcylinder having a port communicating with the strainingcylinder, and airchamber on the straining cylinder, connections between the air chamherand the locking bolt operating cylinders, and air connections to the airchest port for operating the straining piston and to the air chamber foroperating the locking bolts.

HUGH MGCABE.

